John Hopkins as Benedick and Mel Giedroyc as Beatrice in Much Ado About Nothing at the Rose Theatre.
Photograph: Tristram Kenton for the Guardian

In Act 2, Scene 3 of Much Ado About Nothing, Benedick is tricked into thinking that Beatrice loves him. Michael Billington notes in his review of the Rose Theatre’s production (20 April) that Benedick reacts with a line that is said as if written: “Love me? Why? It must be requited.” Benedick is asking “why?” in bewilderment: “Why on earth should she love me?” is the sense. The line is bound to raise a laugh.

The Rose Theatre production is certainly not the first to interpret the line in this way. Two 2011 productions do the same: David Tennant’s Benedick at the Wyndham Theatre, and Charles Edwards at The Globe (though the latter delivered the line rather hesitantly).

But the line as written is: “Love me? Why it must be requited.” The sense is “She loves me? Well then, it must be requited.” This use of “why” to mean “well then” is very common in Shakespeare. There is no doubt at all that this is what the line means; the “why on earth” interpretation is funny, but wrong. Yes, it’s all good fun of course, and no reason for indignation. But it does raise the question why, with so much humour there in the drama, it should be found necessary to play with the text to add in jokes that aren’t there.Emeritus Professor Keith JohnsonSedbergh, Cumbria